Mob riot in Nigeria after crash

The mob blamed the German firm's vehicle for the crash

An irate mob went on the rampage in Nigeria's capital, Abuja, after a road accident killed at least 11 people.

A bus carrying 40 Nigerian employees of the German construction company Julius Berger crashed into a minibus and then turned over in the morning rush hour.

Riot police had to quell a violent crowd who then burned a rescue vehicle sent to collect the Julius Berger bus.

Correspondents say Nigeria's roads are among the most dangerous in the world; thousands die every year in accidents.

The minibus was overtaking a large articulated lorry carrying a sea container converted into a bus, used for taking the construction company's employees to work.

There were far too many of them for us to control Wilson Inalegwa Assistant police commissioner

Authorities said it seemed as if the two had collided and the truck over turned on top of the minibus, crushing it.

Two out of the 40 people in the truck were killed, along with nine in the minibus, a spokesman for Julius Berger said.

The dead in the minibus included two children; 12 others were injured, he said.

But a rescuer told the BBC Hausa service that he counted more than 30 bodies.

Police have not confirmed the number of dead.

Blame

Julius Berger sent a crane to pick up the truck and a mob several hundred strong, who blamed the company for the accident, burned it.

"There were far too many of them for us to control," said Assistant Commissioner of Police Wilson Inalegwa.

A passing motorist then ran over the area commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) who was at the scene to investigate the accident.

He is in hospital and responding to treatment, the FRSC said.

According to official statistics, more than 4,000 people die and more than 20,000 are injured in road accidents in Nigeria each year.

Although the true figure could be higher because in rural areas villagers sometimes bury the dead before the authorities can arrive.

A Nigerian driving licence can be bought for 5,000 naira ($42, £21) without needing to take a test.